Cotc#2: Learn the Hard Way
by Jacklyn and Jolieth Stone
Summary: Chaomon's back.........and he's brought company. Sequal to Cotc #1 (and much better than the first one, in my opinon)
1. Suspicion

Learn The Hard Way  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Isn't it beautiful?" Henry sighed as he draped his arm around Rika's shoulders.  
  
"Yeah…"  
  
They were on her roof, looking out over the city, alive with light, and up at the star-filled sky. They had gone up there to watch the sunset together. It had ended quite some time ago, but neither of them wanted to end the moment.  
  
However, Henry's mind wasn't on the city, or the sky. It was on something he'd tried his hardest not to think about the past two weeks. But it always popped up unwillingly.  
  
-What if he comes back earlier than Renamon said, and we're not ready? Like now, when Rika and I are alone, practically unprotected, and off our guard? – he thought to himself, and shivered slightly, tightening the arm around Rika's shoulders protectively, -What if I can't protect her, and she gets hurt? I'd never be able to live with myself-  
  
"Henry, stop worrying, will you?" Rika sighed impatiently, "You heard Renamon, and she said a month. Don't worry." Obviously, she'd sensed his concern (and read his thoughts exactly in the process). That's what he liked about her. She always knew what you were feeling, even if you didn't say a thing to her. She really knew how to read people's body language.  
  
Lovingly kissing her forehead, he held her close and gazed out over the city, finally able to forget his worries.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Meanwhile, Renamon too was looking out over the city, thinking aloud from a tree branch.  
  
"How could I have been so stupid to get involved with someone like Chaomon? I knew right from the start that he was bad news, but I still got involved with him. And now, he's after Henry…and seems determined to hurt Rika in the process  
  
"But why? He wouldn't gain anything from hurting her, or…or even killing her. There's no reward in it that he could truly gain from…well, he'd see my pain, but that wouldn't satisfy him for long. So what's his reason for attacking Rika?" her question hung in the night air, unanswered, and she sighed in frustration, "Chaomon, I wish I could understand your motive!"  
  
"And I wish I could understand why you continue to serve this human, Rena,"  
  
She gasped as the rough, harsh voice began to laugh from behind her, and she spun around sharply.  
  
"Furimon," she greeted the new arrival with a cold glare, "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I've missed you, too," Furimon sneered, stepping closer to her.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she repeated, still glaring at him, "what do you want?"  
  
"Now, is that any way to treat an old friend? Actually, I wanted to give you an offer," he answered, suddenly innocent looking, "You can come to the digital world with me, forget all of these petty human troubles. That human of yours did very well on her own before you, she doesn't need protecting now"  
  
"That's where you're wrong, Furimon," she answered calmly, "I do need to protect her…from creeps like you"  
  
"Renamon, I'm hurt," he said in a mocking tone, but there was a look in his eyes that she didn't like, and a sudden suspicion hit her.  
  
"Furimon, what are you really up to?" she demanded, and the grin left his face.  
  
"What're you talking about?" he asked, a note of semi-panic in his hoarse voice, "I'm not 'up to' anything."  
  
"You're lying"  
  
"No, I'm not"  
  
Her hand suddenly shot forward, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him off the branch.  
  
"Now," she began calmly, "You're going to tell me the real reason you're here, or I might just be tempted to break your neck in half"  
  
  
  
Author's Note: Trust me, the second chapter is waaaaaay longer than this. And it's gonna be better. For all of you who are starting the series here, and you're confused, I suggest you go all the way back to "CotC#1: Now That I Know" and start there. Then you have my permission to begin this story.  
  
Thanks for reading,  
  
Jackie (Jolie's here too) 


	2. Dissapearence

Learn the Hard Way  
  
by Jacklyn Stone  
  
Chapter two:  
  
Disappearance  
  
  
  
Rika moved closer to Henry as a cold breeze blew past them, making her shiver.  
  
"Maybe we should go inside," he suggested, "It's getting cold."  
  
"Maybe you're right."  
  
They stood up, brushing the dirt off their clothes, and started toward the attic window. But suddenly, Henry stopped, apparently listening intently.  
  
"Henry, what is is?"  
  
"I..." he started, then stopped, shaking his head with a smile, "...it's nothing. Come on, let's go in."  
  
Rika nodded, and lowered one foot inside, just barely reaching the floor. Her other leg was halfway inside when it suddenly caught on the windowsill, tripping her.  
  
She fell hard, and she stayed down a little while, regaining her breath.  
  
"Henry, you jerk, why didn't you help me?" she cried angrily toward the window. There was no answer. She finally pushed herself to a sitting position, "Henry!" still no answer. She frowned in confusion, "Henry?" she got to her feet, walked to the window, glancing out of it, and gasped.  
  
Henry wasn't there.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"C-come on, Rena," Furimon pleaded, dangling dangerously by her hand around his neck, "You- you wouldn't do this to an old friend, would you?"  
  
"I would if they don't give me the answer I need," she growled, losing her patience, "I suggest you answer my qusetion, Furimon, or I could 'accidentially' let you fall"  
  
- Maybe I should let him fall, just to get him out of my hair-  
  
"O- okay, " he gasped, "I'll tell you everything...just let me down!"  
  
She hesitated for a few moments, but then swung him around and put him back on the branch.  
  
"Maybe...maybe we should talk on the ground," Furimon suggested, eyeing the ground uneasily.  
  
"Fine," she snapped impatiently, jumping to the ground with one leap, "Okay, Furimon, you-" but she stopped as she glanced up at the tree branch.  
  
Furimon had disappeared.  
  
"Damn," she hissed, "Well, he can't have gone far...I'll have to-" but she was cut off by something hot streaking across her shoulder, and she gasped. She spun around, facing the area where the blast had come from, and saw Furimon standing there, a fireball hovering in midair above his hand, and a grin on his face.  
  
"He, he...next time, I won't miss," he laughed, and another fireball came shooting towards her. She jumped, trying to dodge it, but she wasn't fast enough, and it caught her in the leg, bringing her back to the ground.  
  
She hit the ground hard, immediately tasting blood in her mouth, and a searing pain shot up through her left leg. She moaned softly, so that Furimon couldn't hear her.  
  
"That was a lucky shot, Furimon," she growled in his direction.  
  
"Hardly," he sneered back, a devious grin on his face, "I hit what I intended to hit. You never could admit when you were outmatched, could you, Renamon?"  
  
"I am not outmatched," she argued, "You merely took me off guard, that's all. You couldn't outmatch a flea."  
  
Renamon knew she had crossed the line when the grin disappeared from his face and another fireball formed above his hand. He whipped it at her, and she took the blast full in the stomach. She was pushed back a few yards by the force of it. Laying still on the warm pavement of the street, she moaned in pain as she clutched her wounded midriff, the pain not allowing her to move an inch. She heard Furimon's fading laughter, and knew he was walking away from her, but she heard his final words to her.  
  
"I hope that human of yours doesn't mean too much to you..."  
  
She gasped, making the pain in her stomach double.  
  
-Rika...-  
  
Just as she was beginning to stand, two bright lights coming from down the street blinded her eyes.  
  
"What the hell..." she murmured to herself, not fully understanding at first, frowning at the light.  
  
-Oh, shit- she thought as she realized what it must be. They were...headlights.  
  
A truck was coming down the street...directly at her!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
-I know I saw him...I know he's here! -  
  
Henry ran down the dark, deserted street, his D-power in his hand, which was going haywire, pointing in two directions, in front of him and behind him.  
  
-Two readings? How can I get two readings? Unless...unless he's brought company...-  
  
He shivered as he remembered Renamon's words, -won't send out more than one of the group at a time, maybe two...- Was this one of those times that they sent out two? He was sure that, whoever the second one was, he was probably more powerful than Chaomon. Touching the bandage on his shoulder through his shirt, he slowly came to a stop, remembering how Chaomon had also gone after...  
  
-Rika!-  
  
He turned around, and began sprinting back to Rika's house.  
  
-How could I have been so stupid?- he thought, -I shouldn't have left her there alone! I'm such an idiot!-  
  
He arrived at her house in half the time it took him to leave it, and gasped as he found a short, red digimon on her roof, heading toward the attic window.  
  
"Rika!" he yelled, catching the digimon's attention  
  
"Well, it seems my work has been cut in half for me!" he yelled back, his hoarse voice loud enough for Henry to hear, "...but maybe I'll grab the girl anyway, just for the fun of it!"  
  
"Don't you dare touch Rika!" Henry threatened, his fingers curling into fists. The digimon laughed.  
  
"I don't think you're in any position to make threats, human," he sneered as a pair of strong hands grabbed Henry from behing, putting pressure on his wound. He moaned slightly.  
  
"Too true, Furimon, too true," said a voice from behind him, a voice that was all too familiar...Chaomon, "He does seem to be outnumbered."  
  
"Let me go!" Henry cried, but Chaomon just squeezed his shoulder, making him cry out in pain.  
  
"Let him go, you jerk!" came Rika's angry voice form her front door, and Henry's heart stood still.  
  
"Rika, no!" he cried, struggling, "Go back inside, there's-" his sentance was cut off by a hand covering his mouth.  
  
"Furimon, grab her!" Chaomon ordered. Her gasp was barely audible as she found the reddish digimon was suddenly beside her, her arm locked in his grip. She screamed and wrenched her arm free before Furimon could get a tight enough grip on it.  
  
"Renamon!"  
  
Author's Note: I'm sorry it took so long to get this uploaded, but I've been going though a lot of shit lately. Sorry. I'll see you in the next chapter,  
  
Jacklyn Stone 


	3. New Allies

1 Learn the Hard Way  
  
By Jacklyn Stone  
  
Chapter three:  
  
1.1 New Allies  
  
  
  
(Author's Note: Okay, I lied in the first story: In this chapter, I'm writing in 1st person. That's the only way this chapter would work out.)  
  
  
  
With my last ounce of strength, I staggered weakly to my feet. Jumping lazily out of the way, I dodged the honking truck by inches. I stayed still on the side of the road, trying to ignore the sharp pain in my stomach and leg.  
  
"Furimon, you bastard!" I screamed to the night unexpectedly, and felt a tear run down my cheek as the pain intensified. I unwillingly began to stand, knowing there was something I had to do, but I couldn't quite remember what it was exactly. All I knew was that it was important, and that if I didn't get up, something would happen.  
  
But what?  
  
Finally on my feet, I took several shaky steps, limping slightly. I groaned, wanting to collapse, but I knew I couldn't. There was still something that had to be done…  
  
-Renamon! -  
  
The voice was screaming inside my head, and I was finally able to put my memory together.  
  
-Rika! -  
  
I forgot all the pain as I leapt from tree to tree, heading for Rika's house as fast as I was able. Rika was in danger, and it was my entire fault. I let Furimon go. I let him go after Rika. And now, she needs me to save her, after I had gotten her into this in the first place.  
  
I reached the house in seconds to see Furimon grab my tamer, *my tamer*, by her arms and pull her toward him, and she screamed. That did it. Rage flowed through my veins, and I was suddenly between them, shielding Rika. Surprise filled his face as I got into a fighting stance, ready to grind him into the ground.  
  
"Now, now, Renamon, I wouldn't do that if I were you…" sneered a voice from beside me, and I turned my head to see Chaomon, his hand clamped around Henry Wong's mouth, his cannon pointed directly at the boy's head, I gasped. I hadn't seen him earlier.  
  
"Henry!" Rika cried from behind me. I put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, and scowled at Chaomon.  
  
"Let him go," I growled. He laughed, and began to drag Henry away. Not thinking, I jumped after him, a stupid thing for me to do.  
  
I chased after them (Chaomon now going faster, for he had picked Henry up), and I had almost reached them when a scream filled my head. I gasped. I had totally forgotten about Rika.  
  
I was completely torn. I wanted to go rescue Rika, but she be angry that I didn't go after Henry.  
  
-Still, she is my tamer. -  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
~* Rika's P.O.V.*~  
  
I screamed as Furimon started toward me, and I felt his hand lock around my wrist. I tried to wrench it free, like last time, but his grip was too tight.  
  
"Rika!" I heard Renamon's cry, and I gasped. It meant she had given up her chase after Henry in order to save me.  
  
Furimon suddenly spun me around so I was facing her, and his arm snaked itself around my neck.  
  
"Try anything, and your tamer dies," he growled, and a fireball appeared in his hand, centimeters from my face. I gasped involuntarily.  
  
Suddenly, Furimon cried out in pain. I felt him let go of me and fall to the ground. I turned quickly to see a man standing there. He was young, about 20; the night shadowed his red hair, making it seem darker than it probably was. And he seemed… familiar.  
  
"Who… who are you?" I stammered, trying to figure out where I'd seen him before.  
  
"I'll explain later" he replayed hastily, taking hold of my wrist and stepping over the unconscious digimon, "First, we need to find your friend" he led me to the street, Renamon close behind.  
  
"I know you," she said, squinting at the stranger through the darkness, "I've seen you before"  
  
"I don't doubt it," he murmured absentmindedly, staring at the sky, "You've probably seen me in the digital world, Renamon."  
  
"How do you know my name?" she demanded, startled.  
  
"It's my job… as I said, I'll explain later" he scanned the sky once more, then smiled, "Tentomon!"  
  
A small digimon came flying into view. He looked kind of like a ladybug. He came down and landed on the young man's arm.  
  
"They're heading toward the local park. I would've followed, but I thought it would be best if I came and told you."  
  
"Good job. Go tell the others" the man said, and the Tentomon flew off.  
  
"Who's headed toward the park?" I asked, confused.  
  
"Chaomon and your friend… I'm sorry, I can't remember his name…"  
  
"Henry"  
  
"Yes, that was it," he said absentmindedly, "But now, we have to go after them…" he began to walk down the street, Renamon and I following close behind.  
  
"You said there are others?" I suddenly asked.  
  
"Yes. There are twelve of us here altogether. We're a long way from home, let me tell you."  
  
"Where are you from?"  
  
"Well, most of us are from Odaiba, but there's one from Tamachi" he replayed, "I'll introduce them afterwards. Right now, though, we need to get to your local park as soon as possible, before something happens to your friend Henry."  
  
I was in no position to complain, since Henry's life was more important to me than the name of this stranger. So I followed him as he began sprinting down the street toward the park with no complaints. I had to admit, I was scared. Not for myself, but for Henry. He was powerless, and it would be nearly impossible to get him if they managed to get him into the digital world. Remembering the whole Calumon episode, I shuddered, now totally petrified.  
  
As Renamon picked me up in order to go faster, she whispered, "Don't worry, it'll be fine. We'll get him back, Rika."  
  
And for the first time, her words didn't comfort me at all.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
~* Henry's P.O.V.*~  
  
As I struggled with Chaomon, I was surprised that my own safety wasn't the thing I was scared for, but Rika was. For some reason, I was convinced she was in trouble, and I desperately wanted to help her. I felt so helpless, not being able to free myself and get her out of danger.  
  
Then, suddenly, Chaomon slowed down, coming to a slow stop at the entrance to the park and he put me down, setting my feet on the ground. This was my chance.  
  
Using my knowledge of kung fu (that's what he practices, right?), I quickly turned around before he could get a good grip on me, grabbed his arms, and delivered a knee to his abdomen. Then, releasing him, I side- kicked him in the chest, and took off running.  
  
It didn't faze him long, for I hadn't been running two seconds when I heard him at my heels. I tried to run faster, but after a while, I began to get tired. I couldn't lose him, no matter how I tried.  
  
Then, his arms were around my legs, and I fell hard, feeling blood as my cheek hit a rock. I flipped onto my back quickly, ready to face Chaomon. But before I could do a thing, his hand was at my throat. He squeezed slightly, cutting off my air, making me choke.  
  
He was suddenly knocked off me by a beige blur I guessed was Renamon, and Rika's face came swimming into view as I took long, steadying breaths. I slowly sat up, but was almost knocked back down again by Rika as she threw her arms around me. I slipped my own arms around her waist and held her close, happy to see her safe.  
  
"Thank god you're alright," I heard her sob into my neck, "you had me so worried, Henry!" She ran her fingers down my cheek, and I flinched as her fingertips touched the small cut. She held her head back and turned my head so she could see my cheek.  
  
"When I fell, I cut it on a rock," I explained, and she made a small noise of concern as she gently wiped the blood off my cheek with her sleeve. I suddenly curled my fingers around her wrist, pulled her closer to me, and captured her lips in a passionate kiss.  
  
"I had a feeling you were more than friends," came a voice from beside us and we broke apart, blushing. I turned my head toward the voice and saw a group of people standing there with a group of digimon.  
  
"Who are you?" I asked the person who had spoken, a red-haired man with a digimon I recognized as a Tentomon on his shoulder.  
  
"My name is Koushiro Izumi," he replied with a smile. " These are the friends I told you about," he added to Rika "They are Taichi and Hikari Kamiya, Takeru Takaishi, Yamato Ishida, Sora Takenouchi, Mimi Tachikawa, Davis Motomiya, Yolei Inoue, Joe Kido, Ken Ichijouji, and Cody Hida," they all nodded as they were introduced. The lavender-hared girl, named Yolei, stepped forward next to Koushiro.  
  
"We were sent here by a person named Gennai to investigate to whole Digi-Force thing," she said.  
  
"What's a Digi-force?" I asked.  
  
"The Digi-force is a group of reckless digimon whose goal is to steal the power of a crystal hidden away by Gennai very long ago, "Koushiro explained.  
  
"The same group that's after me?"  
  
"Yeah. That's another reason we're here. To help protect you," he said, "therefore, you have to be taken out of west Shinjuku."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm sorry it has to be this way, Henry, but it's too dangerous for you here. The Digi-force will always know your exact location while you're still here"  
  
"Then where are you taking me?"  
  
"To our hometown, Odaiba," said a blonde teenager that I remembered as either Takeru or Yamato, "there's more protection there."  
  
"And since Joe's the only one with his own apartment, you'll have to stay with him," said Koushiro.  
  
"I'm out a lot for school and work, so you'll be alone most of the time, but Gomamon'll be there to protect you. You'll also see my girlfriend there, but she knows all about the whole digimon thing, so you won't have to worry about her," explained an older-looking man with blue hair, who I guessed was Joe.  
  
"But… but what am I going to tell my parents?" I asked desperately as Rika wrapped her arms around my waist, "I can't just disappear like that."  
  
"We'll have to explain it to them. You have to leave. If you stay here, you'll be in danger of being kidnapped. You came very close to it this time, and those were the Digi-force's weakest champion-level digimon. The world can't afford you being taken," Koushiro explained, "if they get their hands on you and are able to get you to the digital world, it'll be nearly impossible to get you back."  
  
"When do we leave?"  
  
"Tonight. We'll go over now to talk to your parents, then you'll pack and we'll take off. We can't risk you staying here, not while Furimon's still on the loose."  
  
"Chaomon," a sweaty, wounded Renamon came limping into the clearing we were standing in, "he got away from me."  
  
"So we must hurry," said Koushiro gravely, "the stunner I put on Furimon won't last long. Odds are it's probably already worn off."  
  
We began to walk, the new comers talking quietly to themselves. They were becoming more and more familiar to me, and I was racking my brain for where I had seen them before. Then, it hit me like a freight train.  
  
"Rika," I called to her.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Ri, I think these are the digidestined! That Koushiro guy is Izzy, Taichi is Tai, Hikari, Takeru and Yamato are Kari, T.K., and Matt. I knew I recognized their last names."  
  
"I didn't really notice. I guess it makes sense, though. Since they're digidestined they would be able to protect you better than someone who wasn't."  
  
However, I didn't hear her. I had just come to a startling realization.  
  
"Ri, what about you? I can't leave you here alone! What if you get into trouble and I'm not here?"  
  
"Henry, don't worry, I've got Renamon here to protect me. You go to Odaiba. I'll be fine," she reassured him.  
  
We reached my apartment in about twenty minutes, and just as I stepped into the warm living room, Terriermon jumped into my arms. But before he got to say anything-  
  
"Henry!"  
  
My mother was hurrying towards me, an angry look on her face.  
  
"Henry Alex Wong, where in the world have you been?" she cried, "I called her house, and nobody answered! I nearly sent your father out after you! Now, tell me the truth: where were you?"  
  
I smiled slightly as I replayed:  
  
"Mom, I think you'd better sit down for this…"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Another Author's note: Why did I use a combination of both Japanese and American names? To tell you the truth, I don't really know myself. I know this chapter was long in the coming, but now, it's up. This story has recently acquired a mind of it's own. But, I hope you enjoy it. It's just getting good.  
  
  
  
Jacklyn and Jolieth 


End file.
